Man arrested in Bihar for marrying three women in three years, two wives accuse him of dowry harassment
PATNA: A man has been arrested in Bihars Gopalganj district for allegedly marrying three different women within a span of three years, after his first and second wives lodged complaints of domestic violence and dowry harassment with the police. The accused, Pintu Barnawal, 35, a resident of Gauroop Ismael village, was taken into custody after complaints were filed at the Mirganj police station. While admitting that he married all three women, Pintu denied the allegations levelled against him. The allegations of dowry harassment are completely baseless. I have never demanded a single penny from them as dowry, he told the investigating officer. The case came to light after Pintus first wife, Khushboo Kumari alias Amrita, and second wife, Gudiya Kumari, alleged that he married another woman without divorcing them. They further claimed that they were abused and misbehaved with when they questioned him about his third marriage. In her complaint, Khushboo said she married Pintu at the Gaurishankar temple on December 2, 2022, and went to her in-laws house the next day. She alleged that her parents were forced to pay Rs 3 lakh in cash, a 20-gram necklace, a 15-gram ring, other jewellery and household items after her in-laws began harassing her. She claimed that when the dowry demands increased, her parents expressed their inability to meet them. The harassment continued and one day I was thrown out of the house, she said. She later learnt that her husband had allegedly married another woman without divorcing her. Since then, she has been staying with her parents and pursuing legal action. Pintus second wife, Gudiya Kumari, a resident of Goria Kothi in Siwan district, told the police that she has a 10-month-old baby with him. She alleged that she was kept in the dark about his first marriage. Neither Pintu nor his family members ever told me about his first marriage. My husband deceived me by marrying another woman without divorcing me, she told the police. She also accused Pintu and his family of dowry harassment. The family has a history of marrying women for financial gain. The practice of ruining the lives of women should be stopped. Police should take stringent action against the accused, she said, adding that she would approach higher authorities if justice was not delivered. During interrogation, Pintu told the police that he has a baby with his third wife, who is currently staying with his family. He claimed that his first two wives, Khushboo and Gudiya, left his home following quarrels over cooking and serving food to his mother, who is a senior citizen aged over 60 and allegedly unable to manage routine household work. I have had no physical relationship with Khushboo and Gudiya for a long time. They left my home on their own. I had to cook for my mother, he told the investigating officer. He further alleged that Khushboo once attempted to kill him and his mother. People of my village are aware of the behaviour of Khushboo and Gudiya towards my mother, he claimed. Khushboo, however, stated in her complaint that she came to know about Pintus alleged second marriage without divorcing her on April 18, 2024, and later learnt about his third marriage, which prompted her to lodge a formal complaint. She admitted that she did not return to her husbands house after leaving it. While his second wife has a 10-month-old baby, his third wife has a one-month-old baby, she told the police. Khushboo said she filed complaints against Pintu, his mother, sister and brother, all of whom have been arrested. Pintu, meanwhile, blamed his earlier wives alleged ill-treatment of his mother and her deteriorating health for his repeated marriages.
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